To Let Go
by Midnight-Insomniac1532
Summary: While on his first scouting mission, little Estel learns how cruel people can be.


Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, I wish I did but I don't. 

Please ignore any grammar mistakes…I wrote this at 1 o'clock this morning.

Flames will be used to light the fireplace lol. 

This story is based on actual events.

'The more helpless a creature the more entitled it is to protection by man from cruelty from man'. 

Gandhi

Little Estel couldn't stop jumping around, he was finally old enough to go scouting with his brothers. Lord Elrond couldn't help but smile at his foster son as he "helped" to get his cloak on. 'Please _ion nin _stand still or you will be left behind if I don't get this on you.' That got his attention. with Estel standing perfectly still, it was a matter of seconds to get Estel's outerwear on. 'Now remember listen to your brothers, don't engage in any fights, be careful, stay dry, no pranks and have fun' Elrond stated as he watched in amusement at the exasperated expression on Estel's face. ' I promise ada please stop worrying, it will only be a few days' Estel promised, Elrond had given him the same speech at least three times last night and several times during the week. At this moment Elladan stuck his head in. 'Ready to go yet?' he asked with a smile on his face. 'Yes' came the excited reply as Estel bounded from the room. 'Now remember....' 'Yes ada I know' came the exasperated reply from Elladan, they had been over this at least a dozen times during the past few weeks. 'Well you can't blame me for worrying, he is only 10 years old and....' ' Ada please don't worry he will be fine 'Ro and I will look after him I promise.' 'Alright alright....but are you sure you have enough.....' "ADA!!!! It will be fine. Now we must be off before it gets too late.' Elrond sighed, defeated 'Very well, _Namarie ion nin_, and good journey.' '_Namarie _ada, I promise nothing will happen to us while I draw breath.' stated Elladan as he hugged his father goodbye. 

Elladan walked to the courtyard where his brothers were waiting. Mounting his horse he nodded at them to be off. Looking back to his father's window, Estel saw Elrond standing on the balcony. Waving goodbye to his father he could barely make out the words his father mouthed to him '_Nai tiruvantel ar varyuvantel i Valar tielyanna nu vilya._'

It was a beautiful day at the campsite, the journey and the mission had been uneventful, it was now time to return home. Estel was a bit down about it, he enjoyed being out with his brothers. 'What is wrong _tithin gwanur_?' Elrohir asked the moping child. 'I wish we could stay out here longer' Estel stated with a small pout. At this Elladan couldn't help but start to snicker..'I will remember you saying this so that whenever you are out in the wilds complaining how much you would rather be home, I will remind you how much you liked being in the wilds.' Estel just grinned, he couldn't imagine ever getting tired of being out in the wilds. He loved the way the trees seemed to just blanket him, keeping him safe. The sounds of the birds singing, the wind blowing, the stream running, the whimpering........whimpering?

'`Dan, `Ro!!' Estel yelled to his brother's. 'I think there is something hurt over there.' Estel ran, heedless of his brothers as they sprinted after him trying to catch up. They nearly ran into him as Estel suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. 'Look' Estel said pointing at a crate. They walked closer and the whimpering got louder. 'Estel stay...' `Ro started but trailed off as he noticed that Estel had already reached the crate. Upon closer inspection, Estel found that someone had tied it shut, as if keeping something from getting out. Quickly cutting the cords Estel looked inside and gasped at the sight. Inside were three puppies and their mother. 'Estel, what is it?' Elladan asked coming to his brother's side. His eyes widened at the sight of the starved animals. 'Can we please take them home? We can't just leave them out here!' Estel begged. 'I don't know Estel, what will Ada say if he saw them?' Elrohir said as he reached for one of the pups. Seeing how close he was, the puppy started to scream in fear. Elrohir, startled, drew back away from it as it settled down closer to its mother. 'That settles it…we are taking them home' Elladan stated as he put the lid back on. 'Maybe Ada can do something for them' he said to Estel not voicing what he suspected. 

'We need to go now so we can get back before nightfall.' At this the others started to pack while Elladan stared at the crate, hoping he was wrong. 

Arriving in the courtyard, Estel jumped from his horse and raced inside in search of Lord Elrond. 'Ada!' yelled Estel upon reaching Elrond's study. Elrond, startled out of deep concentration, jumped up and hugged Estel. 'You and your brothers made it back early I see. Everything is alright I trust?'.' Not exactly Ada' stated Elladan carrying a crate in his arms as he and Elrohir made their way into their father's study. ' You need to have a look at this Ada.' Elrond, puzzled motioned for Elladan to put the crate down. Once the crate was opened, the Lord of Imaldris couldn't believe his eyes. The three puppies were huddled as close as they could in one corner of the crate, their mother standing guard in front of them. 'Ai Elbereth.' Elrond softly whispered upon seeing their starved forms. 'Elladan.. go to the kitchens and get some chopped meat. Elrohir…go get some blankets and a box from one of the servants.' 'What do you need me to do ada?' asked Estel as his brother's left to do their father's bidding. 'I need you to stay with them as I take them out of this crate' Elrond stated as he slowly tipped the crate over on its side, gently dumping the dogs out onto the floor. Immediately the puppies went into a corner and huddled together in fear. The mother just stared at Estel, not sure what to do. 'I will be right back Estel. I am going to see about putting them into a spare room for the night. I need you to stay here with them until I return.'. Estel just nodded , his eyes never leaving the mother dog as she stared at him also. As Elrond walked out of his study, Elladan rounded the corner with a plateful of chopped meat. `Well Ada, what do you think?' Elladan asked. 'These dogs have been abused. And apparently left for starve to death. Everytime I made a move, they cringed as if expecting a blow.' Elrond sighed and shook his head. 'We will keep them here until we can find homes for them.' . Elladan just nodded, stunned that anyone could be that heartless to do that to any living creature. 'I should tell Estel then so he doesn't get too attached' he stated as he entered the study. 

The sight that greeted Elladan was one he was not expecting. The mother dog, apparently seeing no threat in Estel was laying in his lap with her eyes closed in contentment as he petted her. Elladan, grinning in his joy at seeing her open up, placed the meat close to the puppies. With the need for food overcoming their fear, they ate ravenously and no longer paid attention to the other occupants. 'Why ?' Elladan, paying attention to the puppies was startled to hear the simple question. 'Why what _tithin gwanur_?_' _ he asked the little boy. 'Why did they just throw them away like that?' Estel asked, a troubled look on his face. He looked up at Elladan with tears in his eyes, 'How can anyone be so cold to throw them away and make sure that they could not get out?' Elladan sighed. He had hoped Estel would never be exposed to the cruelty he was seeing now. 'Evil exists in all forms _tithin gwanur. _ Even in the hearts of man. Sometimes people have no feeling for animals, they believe they are just dumb brutes with no feelings of their own.' Elladan explained while watching the mother dog in Estel's lap. 'You do realize _tithin gwanur _that you will not be able to keep them?' Elladan asked him. ' I know.' sighed Estel the dogs were just too small to keep in Imaldris because of the hounds. 'Where will they go though?' 'Ada will find good homes for them when they are ready' Elladan promised. 

As the days passed, the dogs improved enough to go to new homes. Finally the day came when Estel had to let them go, he had (despite his best intentions) gotten attached to one of the puppies. 'Ada can't I please keep Dae?' he begged. 'Dae?' Lord Elrond asked. 'Well he has sort of become my shadow.' the little boy stated sheepishly. Elrond just sighed. 'Come here ion nin.' he said. The little boy stepped closer to his father and was pulled onto his lap. 'Remember when you found him, how frightened, hurt and hungry he was?' he asked the child. Estel nodded. 'He is better now thanks to you and he needs to go to someone who will be able to continue his care. He needs to go to someone where all of their attention is on him and not on studies and lessons.' Estel just nodded sadly , he knew in his heart that his father was right. 'Alright ada I will let him go.' Elrond hugged the little boy. 

Later that night all the puppies and their mother went to very good homes where they became spoiled rotten.

As I said, this story is based on actual events. Last Friday my grandmother spotted a small dog with puppies near the river not far from our house. She came home and got my mother to go with her to bring them some food and call the humane society. When they got there, they found that someone had put them in a trash can and tied it so they couldn't get out. Fortunately it got knocked over and they were able to squeeze out. They decided to call me to bring down a carrier and bring them home. My brother had also arrived from work and helped get them herded and into the carrier. As soon as we got home and got them out, my brother and I discovered that someone had used them as punching bags, you couldn't get near one of them without him screaming. Eventually they calmed down and the one that you couldn't get near became my shadow J . Unfortunately we couldn't keep any of them because we already have a zoo (literally), but they did go to extremely good homes.


End file.
